Boy George teased rumors that Keanu Reeves may appear in the biopic of his life, Karma Chameleon, but sadly a representative for the actor has squashed that potential casting.
The singer first dropped the casting tease on Tuesday when he shared a video on social media about the film that also included the casting of Danny Mays as his father.
In the video, Boy George said the film would be shot this summer “in London and around the world” and that Mays (1917) would play his father, while “there are rumors of Keanu Reeves popping in.” However, a representative for Reeves tells EW that The Matrix actor isn’t involved in the project.
A representative for Millennium tells EW they can’t confirm casting at this time. We’ve reached out to reps for Boy George and Mays.
But the most important casting is still in the works. In the video, Boy George also made a call for actors around the world to audition to play him in the upcoming biopic.
“We’re looking for a brave young actor anywhere in the globe to take on the role of his life, and it will be brilliant,” he said. “I wanna be impressed! So see you on set this summer.”
Since the role is still to be cast, apparently Boy George and Sophie Turner weren’t able to close the deal. The Game of Thrones star excitedly responded she’d be “so down” to play the iconic pop star when he floated her name as a possible casting choice a couple years back.
The biopic was first announced back in 2019, after the successes of similar projects like Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody. It’s written and will be directed by Hitchcock and Anvil: The Story of Anvil director Sacha Gervasi, who owns production company Portobello Electric. The film will follow the story of Boy George’s Irish working-class beginnings through his 1980s rise to stardom with Culture Club. Formerly, MGM was producing the biopic, but it has since moved to Millennium Media.
“We’re elated to bring this amazing story to life. Boy George and Culture Club have been an inspiration to so many people,” Jonathan Yunger, co-president of Millennium Media, said in a statement. “Specifically, George’s unapologetic way of being true to himself. He has paved the way for people to live their truth as fearless individuals. This is more relevant today than ever and we are so proud to have Sacha lead the charge on this musical journey.”
